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Below is a family biography included in The History of Lawrence County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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John J. Beck, farmer and stock raiser of Lawrence County, Mo., is a native of Washington County, Ind. He was born September 15, 1854, and is a son of Huston and Jerusha (Seals) Beck, of German and English descent, respectively. Both parents are now dead, the mother having died in 1861, and the father in 1888. They had three children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the second. John J. Beck was reared on his father’s farm, and since arriving at years of maturity has given his whole attention to agricultural pursuits. He owns a fine farm of 230 acres under a fine state of cultivation, on which he has a nice residence, good barn and other outbuildings. Everything about his place indicates thrift and enterprise. He settled in Jasper County, Mo., in 1854, and remained until 1859, at which time he went to Texas. Remaining in the latter State four years, he crossed the plains to California, where he remained several years. In 1881 he was married in Jasper County, Mo., to Celia A. Horner, a daughter of Jacob and Lucy (Rusianborger) Horner. Mrs. Beck was born in Mercer County, Mo., in 1854. Politically Mr. Beck is a Republican, and is a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 248, Sarcoxie, Mo. He is one of the wealthy and highly respected citizens of the county, and may truly be called one of its self-made men, as he began life poor, and has risen to his present comfortable circumstances by his own efforts. Mr. and Mrs. Beck are the parents of two daughters, Lucy E. and Jerusha P.

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This family biography is one of 272 biographies included in The History of Lawrence County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Lawrence County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Lawrence County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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